STATCOUNTER

September 2017

At a recent BNI (Business Networking International) meeting, it was my turn to deliver a ten minute talk, rather than the usual 45 second “Here’s who I an, here’s what I do, here’s how you can help” pitch.

Among the things I talked about was the idea that “Relevant Shock” is a good creative tool. The example I used was Santa Claus. See him Christmas time, and it is relevant, but not particularly shocking. See Santa on the beach in July, and it is shocking, but not particularly relevant to anything. What you should strive for is an idea that is both.

At the end of my presentation, someone asked for an example of Relevant Shock, and I had nothing! Part of it was because I often skipped through commercials, and so none were fresh in my mind. And part of the reason was that I was so used to talking about Santa Claus, I hadn’t thought about current real life examples. (Spoiler alert, kids: Santa Claus is not real.)

However, I have been thinking about an answer, though I am sure that the person who asked the question has forgotten he asked, and I hope has also forgotten the bewildered look on my face. So here are three examples:

Snickers has a great campaign (“You’re not you when you’re hungry) that is relevant (it’s an answer to quickly satisfying your appetite). And with their clever use of celebrities, it is also unexpected.

Netflix ran a bunch of billboards in Los Angeles proclaiming: “Netflix Is a Joke” The payoff was a commercial on the Emmys that touted their comedy specials. Relevant indeed, and certainly shocking for the “serious” network we all know.

And, at the risk of seeming self-serving, I want to talk about one of my own Relevant Shock ideas. It was for Bonita Porte’s Energetics, an in-home personal training company based in Manhattan that focuses on children and teens. The idea was to print her business card using a tear proof card stock. As you can see from the image above, the relevant challenge was stated on the front: “Can’t tear this card? It’s time for Bonita Porte’s Energetics.”

Kids loved trying. Parents loved trying. And there was no one who was handed the card that did not take the challenge. (Three people actually managed to tear the card, so I guess they should call it almost-tear proof.)

Point is, Relevant Shock does not have to rely on big names and costly media buys. Just a good idea.

I have often said, all you need is a good idea. But let me add one more element that will help your creative efforts: Luck. Especially the good kind.

I truly believe that luck plays more of a part in our success than we are willing to give it credit for, probably because we often feel that giving credit to luck as a factor somehow diminishes our own talents and efforts.

An article in The New York Times about the unexpected success of Best Buy in a world dominated by Amazon, reinforces my belief in the importance of old-fashioned luck, even in a modern high-tech world.

The article gives full and proper credit to Hubert Joly, Best Buy’s chief executive. And it lists all the reasons for the rebound, involving his reshaping nearly every part of the business, from pricing to customer service to cutting costs to improved shipping times.

But it was the fifth point that resonated most with me—get lucky, stay humble and don’t tempt fate. As the reporter says, “Mr. Joly didn’t explicitly tell me this, but it is obvious: Best Buy has benefited from some serious good fortune.”

“It’s lucky that

the products it specializes in selling….are big-ticket items that many customers still feel uncomfortable buying sight unseen from a website.

several large competitors have gone out of business.

the vendors who make the products it sells have kept churning out expensive blockbuster gadgets.”

And luckily, for further proof, the next page over, in an article about the Emmys, Daniel Wilson, a producer of “The Handmaid’s Tale,” suggested that, “Timing is everything. If we didn’t have the president we have now, I don’t know if it would have been this successful.”

So let’s say yes to talent, intelligence, hard work, and all the expected rationales for success. But let’s also hear it for who, by luck, ends up being your college roommate.

Today’s blog headline is a common response to prospects, when they tell you that they can’t afford to spend money on a project.

It jumped out to me in a recent New York Times article about how a number of nonprofits are hiring branding and marketing experts. Others are reluctant to tackle the additional cost, since historically fund-raisers were the one that also handled the marketing.

But, as the article points out, “A number of groups, even those that are well known, are having a tough time competing in the rough-and-tumble digital age, when potential donors are overwhelmed with requests for money on social media…branding and marketing experts are helping nonprofits more clearly explain their purpose in simple but powerful ways.”

A couple of examples from the article include Easterseals. Research showed many people knew their name, but actually had no idea what exactly it did. And this was true even though Easterseals have been around for almost 100 years. And there was similar confusion about the Lupus Foundation of America; what the disease actually was, or that it afflicted more than 1 million people.

As Alan Siegel, founder of a branding firm put it, “Most companies have bland mission and vision statements that are vague, inflated and indistinguishable from one another.”

Which, of course, often leads to fund-raising communications that are bland, and interchangeable.

So if the important thing is to help people understand why they should donate money to a particular cause, a solid, creative marketing and branding message can make a major impact in explaining your purpose.

“Retailers…have a void from a storytelling standpoint from back-to-school in early August until Halloween.”

This is a quote in The New York Times by Greg Portell. And something you probably have noticed yourself. As the article points out, Pumpkin Spice Cheerios have been in stores since mid-August. Krispy Kreme began offering pumpkin spice lattes and doughnuts lat week. And Starbuck’s Pumpkin Spice Latte — the best-known pumpkin spice product in the market — arrived last Friday.

Two additional points in the article: “Consumers associate pumpkins with fall and are most likely to seek out products when cued to the season.” And, “By setting start and stop dates retailers can foster an aura of scarcity.”

Both points make sense, though this final quote provides the ever-popular “on the other hand”: “ Move it forward too much, and you risk the same association people have with Christmas creep — that it’s a greedy ploy to take advantage of the consumer.”

So it’s not really only about pumpkins. Or Halloween or Christmas. It’s a question of when you start associating your product with a holiday. Too soon and you appear greedy — too late and you get lost among all the other promotions.

My take is slightly different. I think that for the most part, the timing isn’t the most important factor. What truly matters is…and you know what’s coming…how good is your idea? A good idea transcends seasonality, timing, and your competition’s efforts.

And I don’t care if you think outside the box, next to the box, inside the box, or on top of the box. Just make certain your idea is relevant, and shocking. And the heck with the calendar.